Steese and Elliott Highways

Modern day travelers can follow historic mining trails on the Steese and Elliott highways that once guided a torrent of prospectors to Interior Alaska's goldfields. Here you can explore the vast landscape of the Great Interior, traditional home of the Athabascan people, and encounter local people who still hunt, trap, and mine in the same spirit as earlier Alaskans.

The Steese Highway offers easy access to the Chatanika River for fishing, camping, and boating.

The 175-mile-long Steese Highway (Alaska Route 6) connects Fairbanks with the small town of Circle on the bank of the mighty Yukon River. The Elliott Highway (Alaska Route 2) starts just outside of Fairbanks in the historic mining town of Fox and leads north to the beginning of the Dalton Highway near Livengood. It then turns west to end in the village of Manley. Only the first 60 miles of these highways are paved roads, but both are maintained year-round. See the Know Before You Go page for information on safely traveling these remote highways.

In addition to their own scenic and historic attractions, these highways also provide access to a world of outdoor adventure on BLM-managed public lands north of Fairbanks. From the Steese Highway, you can explore the Steese National Conservation Area, the White Mountains National Recreation Area, Beaver Creek Wild and Scenic River, and Birch Creek Wild and Scenic River. The Elliott Highway provides access to the White Mountains and to public lands along the Dalton Highway.

Contact Us

For more information about traveling the Steese and Elliott highways, contact our office:

Bureau of Land ManagementFairbanks District Office1150 University AvenueFairbanks, Alaska 99709-3844tel: 907-474-2200 or toll-free at 1-800-437-7021

Download our New Brochure

We've just updated our Steese & Elliott Highways brochure. Download it in PDF format (3.2 MB) by clicking on the image below or stop by the Fairbanks District Office or the Alaska Public Lands Information Center in Fairbanks to pick up a copy.